It's OK to be concerned about three freshmen, if they do start. Yet this team has tremendous talent and may be super explosive. We may be a team that outscores our opponents while we learn to shut them down and prepare for the playoffs. My congratulations on your lineup. I'll ask Jared if he cares to comment, which he won't, of course.

I guess I’m not necessarily as concerned as you about so much youth starting on defense. It depends upon how good that youth is. The USMNT is criticized for not playing its youth soon enough. Often players in other parts of the world are further ahead at younger ages. As was stated, it’s ridiculously early to be selecting a lineup and judging our talent. First official practice is Wednesday, and we have yet to see 11 of our players together against an opponent, even themselves.

Good reference to 2009. Significant number of freshman contributed.

Good discussion. Looking forward to the exhibitions and updated discussions.

Last year's final four team had Joao and Daniel Strachan as the 2 starting center backs

Daniel Strachan is going to be excellent for the zips again this year...whether he is a center DB...or if he is a holding midfielder (as shown in the lineup bravely submitted by buflobo).

Two players...that have not been mentioned yet,...redshirt freshman Braden Petno and Colin Biros, will both be able to contribute up front this year .

The addition of 2 exciting , skilled seniors (Marco and Abdi) adds so much to this year's team. If this team has 5 freshman starting by NCAA tourney time, I think that this team will go very deep in the tourney as that will mean that the recruits are as good as their press clippings.

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One of the reasons is the writer is Andy Harris, who does some PA announcing and runs the soccer scoreboard once in awhile for Zips..inside the ropes never hurts...

appreciate the "inside scoop"

Hopefully, the Beacon will do a nice writeup before the home opener on the 24th. I had e-mailed 2 of their writers...the day before practice started...to try to get a writeup at that point.....but I was unsuccessful in getting coverage from the Beacon

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The other thing that amazes me about Akron soccer and their dominance, this was the first year ever since joining the MAC in 1993 that the Zips had not finished in either first or second place in the conference regular season and yet they still made the NCAA tournament.

And the way the record for the most MAC tournament titles is now held by one Jared Embick (Akron coaches hold the top three spots with Porter and Lolla following Embick). But perhaps even more incredibly Jared Embick has never been named MAC coach of the year.

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The other thing that amazes me about Akron soccer and their dominance, this was the first year ever since joining the MAC in 1993 that the Zips had not finished in either first or second place in the conference regular season and yet they still made the NCAA tournament.

And the way the record for the most MAC tournament titles is now held by one Jared Embick (Akron coaches hold the top three spots with Porter and Lolla following Embick). But perhaps even more incredibly Jared Embick has never been named MAC coach of the year.

That is incredible. Most of the MAC sports, especially the “lesser” sports, I.e. track, swimming, Xc, baseball, the coach of the champions are an “automatic” choice...rarely another coach....Wow, nice catch...

The 2018 University of Akron men's soccer team provided an amazing story of perseverance and determination that will long be remembered not for a 1-0 setback to Maryland in the title match of the College Cup on Sunday, Dec. 9, but for a group of 30 student-athletes that came together as one and lifted each other to the pinnacle of their sportwhile representing their team and school with dignity and class.